Preparation of bogies for standard gauge carriages has begun, loco repairs have also commenced and trackwork has reached a significant milestone.

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We start by looking at the steam pipes that connect from the superheater header to the cylinders on J515. The 'straight' pipes have been laid out on the bench in the workshop. Examination shows that where the pipes pass through the smokebox, heavy corrosion has resulted in the pipes becoming seriously thin. The affected area is around the middle of the length.__________________________________________________________

In this case the figure of '6.5' chalked on the pipe states the measured thickness. At the ends the measurement is around 12 mm. The original measurement is around 13 mm.__________________________________________________________

Sighting along the pipe the reduction in thickness can be seen as a reduction in diameter. The amount of wastage is extreme enough that new pipes will be required although some believe that the thickness could be made up by other means. ____________________________________________________________

Out the front of the shed can be found a funnel, smokebox door and cladding sheeting section from J515.___________________________________________________________

Back to the loco where the cladding has been taken off the front of the barrel and a couple of trial cuts have been made in the smokebox. The cuts have been made to verify the actual thickness of the metal in order that a decision can be made on exactly how much to cut away. In ideal circumstances we don't want to have to rivet the new smokebox to the boiler barrel. Ideally a cut will be made around the circumference to the right of the ring of rivets and the new portion of the smokebox will be welded to the remaining portion. The figure of 6.4 details the thickness at the end of the cut. Further to the left the metal gets rapidly much thicker towards the original 9.5 mm._____________________________________________________________________

Before the smokebox can be demolished, the boiler barrel needs supporting. To do this a cross beam has been fitted across the frames. A mechanical jack in the middle takes the weigh as Steve H welds in the second of two props that will provide additional support.____________________________________________________________________

Steve has finished welding both props and now we are ready to demolish the old smokebox.__________________________________________________________________

The first stage of the demolition proper is to remove the "face" of the smokebox. Steve is now cutting most of the way around the barrel of the smokebox so that the face can be removed as a complete piece. It will be reused after some remedial attention._______________________________________________________________

From inside the smokebox a gas cut goes a fair way around the circumference. ____________________________________________________________

From the outside the bottom half is done and the remainder will be done on the next day of business when we are ready to lift off the face piece.____________________________________________________________

Down at the turntable former New South Wales power van body PHS2296 is being loaded on a truck for a return to north of the border. One end is on the prime mover and the trailing end is yet to be mounted on the road bogie._____________________________________________________________

With one end on the truck, the crane is setting up to lift the trailing end off the rail bogie onto the road bogie. The van has been sold for a nominal amount to the State Mine Museum in Lithgow NSW. They have bogies onto which the vehicle well be unloaded.________________________________________________________________

All loaded up and nearly ready to go. One of the rail bogies is in the background. The van body is securely chained to a fitting on the truck turntable and the bogie is likewise securely chained. Cables for the tail lights and hoses for the bogie brakes are slung underneath.________________________________________________________________

The car park has bogies taking up space again. This time it is also an AS Commonwealth type but this one is complete with standard gauge wheels. __________________________________________________________________

The keen eye will see in this end vie the gap between the bogie frame and wheel and the brake rigging is hung from the inner brackets. This confirms a broad gauge bogie fitted up with standard gauge wheelsets._______________________________________________________________

Blog readers will be aware that standard gauge trackworks have been in hand for some time. With track coming along, one of the next steps is the preparation of standard gauge bogies for some carriages.The big fork has an AS Commonwealth bogie on board having picked it up from storage down by the turntable. Just like other bogies works last year, the car park is the place. Steve L is manoeuvring the last of two such bogies into place ready for restoration works to begin._________________________________________________________________

It is a bit hard to see here but there are actually three bogies lined up for attention. Beyond the two AS Commonwealth types, a Harris frame is also in the line up.____________________________________________________________

From the other end the Harris bogie without wheels is in the front while both of the AS bogies are complete with wheels. All bogies will require dismantling for thorough structural inspection and in the case of the AS bogies, for the wheels to have their axle boxes reconditioned.___________________________________________________________________

And now to the diesel locomotive portion of this blog. This is the cooling fan in P22. Some months ago the loco suffered a failure when the fan let go and damaged the radiator elements. Looking inside the fan compartment the hub has no blades but some can be seen on the floor. The fan cowling has been dislodged and the bearing assembly destroyed.________________________________________________________________

The other side of the fan shows the cowling lying limp and torn from the compartment wall.________________________________________________________

Some of the fan blades have been extracted and are seen lying on the catwalk. Inspection of damaged gear looking for a cause for a cause can be problematic depending on damage sustained. We believe that in the case of P22, one fan blade has fractured putting the whole assembly out of balance. This has resulted in massive vibration that has caused the bearing behind the fan to disintegrate. With the bearing gone the fan has thrashed around with all remaining blades being smashed. In this process the radiator element has been damaged causing a loss of coolant.________________________________________________________________

As the fan started to throw itself to pieces, bits have struck and damaged the radiator cores. A few gouges can be seem here. We have spare radiator modules available along with a fan. Although the damage looks serious, the reality is that the issues are relatively minor. Arrangement are well in hand to remove the damaged parts, qualify the replacements and recommission the loco. About a day's work will get all the bits out, and around three days work will fit the new bits back in once they are qualified._____________________________________________________________

Out in the yard, Kevin C has completed assembling 22 track and connecting it up to the new turnout. The GM has been driven back up the hill and coupled to the two T locos in 21 track. _________________________________________________________________

With the track connected, the next task will be to ballast the track and jack the track to the correct level. To do this the contractor with his road-rail excavator will come back on site to fill the track with the gravel ballast and use a tamping head to pack the sleepers. Then we will have a completed standard gauge track. The locos will be transferred into 22 track and 21 track will be rebuilt.___________________________________________________________________